Lillian Francken - We Come in Peace

Jenny stood in front of John and Jane sitting on the couch. Spot ran over and started barking at Jenny.

“What the hell is going on in here?”

John looked up. “We were welcomed,” he said as he looked up with his hands still on his knees.

Jenny appeared frustrated. “I don’t doubt that. But who let the dog in?”

“You mean Spot,” Bobby said quickly before either of the two aliens could speak.

Jenny glanced at the dog, whose solid black fur did not have a trace of a spot on it. She turned to Bobby and just stared at him for an indication of what was behind calling the dog spot. She knew things were not adding up and the more Bobby talked, the bigger the hole was getting.

“Spot?” she mocked with a puzzled look. “Leave it to Bobby to have friends like this,” Jenny said under her breath.

Spot sat, while his tail wagged back and forth. Jenny shooed Spot away from her foot. The dog finally got up and walked over to the sofa. He lay down at John’s feet. Jenny stared at the two on the couch and then down at the dog. All she could do was shake her head. Making an issue of this with Bobby was useless. Once Elmer agreed to let them stay, she would have to just back off and let the situation play out, as she had done all her life.

As frustrated as she was, Jenny finally just turned and hurried up the stairs. There would be time later to deal with their visitors. Right then she had a headache and needed some relief, and only distancing herself from the chaos would get her that relief.

Jenny was at the stove, stirring the pot of spaghetti sauce. She opened the oven and glanced at the cookie sheet filled with meatballs. Quickly Jenny tested one. When she was sure it was fully cooked, she took the pan out of the oven and then spooned the meatballs into the sauce. Once the water on the other burner started boiling Jenny took the salt out of the cupboard, poured a little into the boiling water, and then tested the water to make sure it tasted like seawater. When she was confident the right amount of salt was added, she dumped in the small box of spaghetti noodles. Jenny stirred the water for a minute until all the noodles were submerged and she was sure they were not stuck together. She turned on the timer.

While Jenny cooked, Bobby reluctantly set the table. He knew Jenny was upset with him, but he was not aware how to tell her he was sorry for skipping school. All his life Bobby would do things spontaneously and not worry about the results. He did not know what had gotten into him that morning when he woke up. School was the last thing he wanted to do, and before he knew it, he was driving out into the desert where, as fate would have it, he met the space travelers. For him, it was destiny that he was out there. If not for him, the Cammo dudes would surely have captured John and Jane and taken their spacecraft to their Area 51 facility, and no one would have been the wiser.

Elmer walked in and sat at the head of the table. He said nothing for the longest time and just watched Jenny and Bobby busying themselves around the kitchen.

Jenny turned to Bobby. “Dinner is almost ready,” she said and then motioned to the living room. “You better get your friends.”

Bobby walked out of the room while Jenny turned to Elmer. “Why did you permit him to let them stay when you don’t know anything about those two?” she asked.

Elmer just shook his head. “Sure, there’s juice. Check the fridge.”

“No, I said those two,” Jenny snapped while pointing to the living room. “Do you know anything about them?”

Bobby walked in with John and Jane just then. All three stopped for an instant and stared at Jenny. Jenny looked embarrassed, and just turned back to the stove and stirred the boiling pot.

“I was curious,” is all she said in her defense.

“Curious?” John asked.

“She wanted to know where you came from,” Bobby said, trying to defend Jenny. He was aware that his aunt meant well. He found it odd that when he told the truth, people found it difficult to believe him.

John spoke up. “We came from…”

Jane hit John on the back of the head. She looked at him in a way that told him not to say more.

Bobby quickly stepped forward. “They were on their way to the Star Trek Convention Center.”

“They got one of those going on again?” Jenny asked. Things always got strange when they held one of those because funny people from all over the country flocked to the convention center and the surrounding areas.

“Yeah, in Vegas. It’s been on all the stations.”

“Widow Megas has been calling me again?”

Bobby turned to Elmer and shook his head and wondered what that had to do with the Star Trek Convention in Vegas.

“Widow Megas? You got the hots for her again, Gramps?” Bobby asked.

Jenny looked at Elmer and then shouted. “We’re talking about Bobby’s friends,” as she pointed to Jane and John. “They are going to Vegas.”

“Why is everyone yelling,” Elmer snapped while arranging his silverware on his placemat. He then looked up innocently.

Jenny quickly turned to Bobby. “Did you get the batteries for his hearing aid?” Jenny asked.

Bobby just squinted. He did not have to answer, as Jenny knew by his gesture that he had forgotten all about picking them up after school. Because actually, he never made it to school, so why would he remember the batteries.

Jane turned to John quickly. “Translation,” is all she said.

John just looked puzzled. “You want me to translate that.”

Bobby motioned to Jane and John to sit down. He pointed to the table. “We’ll be eating soon,” he said motioning with his hand as if scooping food into his mouth.

“Eating?” Jane asked with a curious look on her face.

Bobby again motioned with his hand as if putting things in his mouth and could tell by the look on Jane’s face she now understood.

“Ohhh. Supplying nutrients to the bodily function,” Jane said nodding her head in agreement. “That is acceptable.”

Jane walked over to the table. She sat down and then put her hands on her knees as she had done in the living room. John looked at her a moment and then followed her lead. They both sat there and stared up at Jenny as if waiting for her to serve them.

Jenny turned to Bobby and motioned to the two sitting at the table. “Do they have to watch me like that?”

Bobby reached into a drawer and grabbed a crossword puzzle book and pen out of the drawer. He handed the items to John.

“Here, this ought to keep you busy for a while,” he said and then turned back to Jenny. “Happy now?” He could have bit his tongue, as he did not mean it to sound so sarcastic.

“How did they get here?” Jenny asked, looking at John. She truly wanted to know more about the two strangers who would be living under their roof for who knew how long.

John was about to answer, but Bobby cut him off quickly. “Their vehicle broke down.”

“Mechanical problems,” John said, nodding his head and then turned and gave an accusing look at Jane.

John glanced down at the crossword book and opened it to a full-page crossword puzzle. He picked up the pen and started working the crossword puzzle. John quickly filled in the little blocks almost without thinking. In a few minutes, he had the majority of the puzzle complete.

Jenny just watched him, wondering if he was putting in the correct answers. She turned to Bobby. He too was looking at John meticulously filling in the crossword puzzle.

“I didn’t see any vehicle outside,” Jenny remarked as she turned to Bobby.

“I’ve got to go out into the desert and pick it up tomorrow morning.”

Jenny pointed to Bobby. “You’re going to school in the morning.